Will Yeddyurappa get BJP vice-president’s post?

With the decks being cleared for the constitution of a new team of Central office-bearers for the Bharatiya Janata Party following the appointment of Amit Shah as the national president, the party State unit is hopeful that the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will make it to the central organisational team.

Though Mr. Shah is yet to hold any talks on this with party leaders, the State unit feels that Mr. Yeddyurappa is a natural choice for getting elevated to the party’s team of central office-bearers in the present scenario to compensate for not including him in the Union Ministry.

In fact, speculations regarding the possibility of him making it to the central office-bearers’ team began ever since Mr. Yeddyurappa, who is facing a slew of cases related to alleged corruption, opted out of the race for a ministerial berth in the Narendra Modi government. This was further strengthened by the party State unit’s view that there are no “vacant” party positions in Karnataka like that of the State president which can suit the stature of a former Chief Minister like Mr. Yeddyurappa.

Now that Mr. Shah has to constitute a new team of central office-bearers, the debate on whether Mr. Yeddyurappa would make it has again surfaced.

According to sources, the indications are that Mr. Shah may constitute the new office-bearers’ team in 10 to 15 days. “As of now, he is yet to hold discussions with us regarding the choice of candidates from Karnataka for the central organisational team. But whenever he consults us, we will propose Mr. Yeddyurappa’s name,” a prominent BJP State leader told The Hindu.

Interestingly, the party State leaders feel that Mr. Yeddyurappa may get the national vice-president’s post rather than that of general secretary. Normally, the vice-president’s post is not considered as high-profile as that of the national general secretary which will have more powers. Besides, there are nearly 15 national vice-presidents among the present office-bearers.

Meanwhile, the BJP which had put off its State executive scheduled to be held in Mysore from July 12 to 13 is learnt be preparing to hold it in about 15 days soon after getting indications from Mr. Shah about the new team of central office-bearers to be constituted by him, especially the central leader to be appointed as the party’s Karnataka in-charge.